A holiday meal isn’t complete without Cranberry Sauce! This recipe has a hint of orange in this sweet and tangy sauce that pairs perfectly with your turkey dinner. It’s so easy to make in advance, too!
Cranberries are a holiday staple, right? From breakfast (we love this Cranberry Orange Bread), to appetizers (like these Cranberry Brie Bites), to dessert (these Cranberry Orange Cookies are delicious!), you can bet that cranberries will make a strong showing throughout November and December. And this Cranberry Sauce is so easy, you’ll never buy the canned kind again!
What would a turkey dinner be without cranberry sauce?
I never really cared for cranberry sauce as a kid, which I think is pretty typical. But from what I remember, we usually had the jelled cranberry sauce that slithered out of the can. As I got older, I came to appreciate the canned whole berry cranberry sauce.
It wasn’t until I had homemade cranberry sauce that I really understood the hype.
And now I refuse to have turkey without it.
So it’s a good thing it is so easy to make. You need less than 20 minutes, and it’s the perfect recipe to make ahead of time since it needs to chill in the refrigerator. There is really no excuse not to make this for your holiday dinner!
Ingredients
Water and Orange Juice: Cranberry and orange are a perfect match, so I like to use part orange juice and part water. You can use all water, if desired, but the orange juice really brings in another layer of flavor.
Sugar: I like to use granulated sugar, but you could use brown sugar, or a mix of white and brown.
Cranberries: You need either fresh cranberries or frozen cranberries. Dried cranberries will not work for this recipe.
Orange Zest: If you are using fresh orange juice, make sure to zest the orange before you juice it.
How to Make Homemade Cranberry Sauce
- Start by combining the water, orange juice and sugar. Bring to a boil to dissolve the sugar.
- Add the cranberries and stir to combine.
- Cook until most of the cranberries have burst and the mixture is starting to thicken up. It will thicken up more as it cools, and the longer it cooks, the thicker it will be.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the orange zest. Refrigerate until completely chilled and set up.
Tips and Tricks
If you like your sauce more tart, you can cut back on the sugar by up to 1/2 cup, but you’ll also want to cut back on the liquid by the same amount.
This is best when it is fully chilled, so it’s best to make a day in advance. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week.
If desired, it can be made and frozen up to 6 months.
Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator.
Cranberry sauce can technically be served warm or cold, but is most popular served at room temperature.
Ways to Use Cranberry Sauce
- As a side to your Thanksgiving Turkey
- Spread onto your leftover turkey sandwich
- Stirred into yogurt for breakfast
- Over pancakes
- This Cranberry Sauce over Pound Cake is amazing!
- Serve warm cranberry sauce over vanilla ice cream
More Holiday Side Dishes
Cranberry Salad
The BEST Sweet Potato Casserole
My Favorite Mashed Potato Recipe
Sausage Stuffing with Apples and Cranberries
Corn Casserole
Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/3 cup orange juice
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 12 oz bag fresh cranberries, rinsed
- Zest of 1 orange
Instructions
- Place the water and orange juice in a saucepan. Add the sugar and stir.
- Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook until the liquid is boiling and the sugar has dissolved.
- Add the cranberries and cook, stirring often, until most of the cranberries have burst, about 10-15 minutes*.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the orange zest.
- Cover and refrigerate until fully chilled and set up.
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